Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-18
FIRST M. E. OHUROH.
The First Sermon eff Rev. Dr. ChaP- man-An Eloquent Discourse-A VnnnPaRaT0n.

The First Sermon eff Rev. Dr. ChaP-
 man-An Eloquent Discourse-A
 Marked Impression.
 Rev. Dr. M. B. Chapman preached his first sermon at the First M. E. church yes terday morning. The church was well filled. Mr. Chapman has been pastor of the New York avenue church, Brooklyn, and at the recent Methodist conferen ce was appointed to take pastoral cha rge of the First church in this city. After the opening services Mir. Chapman made 8 few extemporaneous remarks to his auditors on the relationship just beginning between them. He said that ministers may come and go, but churches go on forever. The man must have very cold heart to look over this congregation and regret that he is to be with such an assem- bly, and without feeling deeply and pro- foundly the significance of the relations which are to follow. If you are troubled, so am I. You miss the face which has been so long familiar to you in this pulpit. l miss the faces that have been used to see- ing and loving. And so we are in somewhat the same position. Perhaps we had better comfort each other without further words. Let us betake ourselves to the gospel that never changes.
 MT. Chapman announced that his text
  thians. Behold, the third time am ready to come to you; and will not be burden some to you: for seek not yours, but you, for the children ought not to lay up for their parents, but the parents for the children.
 The instinct of ownership, the speaker said, is as strong in the boy as in the man. It is a great thing in showing character; it is stipulation to industry and enterprise Men will not work unless they care for ownership. It is the craving for ownership that subdues the man. Having acquired property, It IS next for us to preserve and protect 1t. Prop erty is cautious and conservative Hence the craving for ownership lies in the very roots of society. And so we may say that this craving to possess is the great scent of gov ernment, public morality and social standing. Money, material wealth, is only one form of society. AEy property that we do not pos sess by our body is ours only in name, not m fact. A gam bier may earn money at the gaming table, but the property is not hls own. He who loves nature possesses nature
 In the Christianity of the church and Paul the instinct of ownership took strange ana unearthly direction. There is still the reHec- tion of the Easter lilies in our faces, and yet are we to forget what our Lord was after when he was in the stall and on the cross? It was not for anything man had, but for man himself. He came that he might get some property in human souls and make us so unalterably his that no power should be
 
 might redeem us And Paul in looking over the vast multitude in the Atheneum cried out: ''Ye men of Athens, he seeks not yours, but vou.'" Paul tried to get into the souls of men, enrich them, ennoble them and transform them into the service of the Lord, which would add to the wealth of the world. Every soul made white and pure in his sight was star in his crown. The burden of his cry was: "I seek not yours, but you"
 Let us take an inventory of the property we do not see, others do not see, and which does not come into account when we balance our books. A young mans best future is not his wealth, but the confidence Of men he is under He will find, if his character be good. that business places will be open to him. He will be able to compel their confidence in spite of themselves. I don't ask you, he says, to endorse my paper, but will compel you to endorse my character. That is Chris tian possession.
 We find that life without love is mock cry. The value of our possessions and the resources of that unseen heart, what IS wealth worth without the love of Jesus? It is the heart that gives value and carries all other possessions
 In the third place the craving to redeem and bless men is as human it is divine. It is supreme in God, great ill man. Any man who is blessing, helping and saving men has mind treasure that never levies an assessment. This instinct and craving can never be extinguished, but it may be suppressed by sin.
 Anything done for him flung into the midnight of darkness, will shine forever. You will have possession that will make his heart glad. There is whole world of in those four words ''not yours, but you"
 Let us work together, the speaker conclud ed. Let multiply our resources in the human heart. Let get wealth in human nature and shine even brighter for Jesus sake forever and ever.
 Mir. Chspman's sermon was most inter- esting one. The impression he created was of an excellent nature. All speak highly of him. MT. Chapman is a preacher we'll adapted to take charge of this church.